What About Now?
by rockrose
Summary: This is the sequel to What About Then? It's a Scott & Jules future fic. Jules was abused by her exboyfriend, and went into hiding. This takes place three years later.
1. A New Life

What about Now?

A/N: This is the sequel to What about Then. Read it first. Now, I know it's been over 3 years since I updated, but real life got in the way. I just wanted to finish what I started with this. If you guys want me to continue, let me know, and the fic will be completely finished by the end of the month. Also, sorry it's short, I just wanted to know if you guys are still interested or not.

Disc: All I own is the fic.

Chapter 1

Karliy Moore walked around the mall, looking at all the sales. She loved coming here at this time of the day. Not too many others were here. No crowds. She could easily scan and see who was there. She looked around, feeling someone watching her. She quickly ducked into a store, looking around wildly for exits. After a few minutes, she left the dressing room, which she had taken as her hiding spot, and returned to the mall. She tried to take deep breaths. Three years spent hiding out had wrung her out emotionally. She was tired. How she wished someone would make everything better, so she wouldn't have to hide anymore. How she wished…

Scott snapped shut the file. He did it. Three long years. Three long, tiring years later, and he found her. His Jules. She was now Karliy Moore, age 29. He was going to win her back, and keep her safe. He was going to make sure no one ever hurt her again. He just knew he would have to be very careful, so she would trust him again.


	2. Catching You

A/N: Sorry it always takes so long for me to get the stories out, it's just real life is so crazy.

Chapter 2- Finding Out

Karliy bent over her desk, deeply involved in her work. She worked a freelance photographer, and loved her work. With it, she could travel often, her whereabouts rarely known by others. She had a new name now, a new identity. She always worried about being found out, about Mark finding her, hurting her. But at least this way, with no strings, no connections, she felt a little safer. Of course, she would always regret leaving behind friends, and of course, Scott.

She sighed, looking from photo to photo. She preferred the one of the golden gate bridge at dawn, and selected it from the pile. Her photos of San Francisco were going to be used in a magazine for travel. She was incredibly excited, as this was a well paying job, and an opportunity for her new name to get out there more. Of course, with publicity came risk, but she was so careful, and she never allowed herself to be photographed, even though she had drastically changed her appearance.

On the other side of town, Scott lied down on his bed in his hotel room. He could hardly believe he finally found her. It had been tough, he would give her that. Jules had disappeared off the face of the earth. It was pure luck that John, a friend of Ezra's, had been the one to give Jules the new identity. Of course, this information didn't come until she had already disappeared, but still, a name was helpful. She was very careful, and although she left a slight paper trail behind, by the time Scott's PI had caught up with her, she was always gone. Always, until now, that is. He slowly got up and stretched. He only hoped she would be glad to see him.

Karily stood and stretched. She walked over to her map, and looked at it. She needed to decide where she would be going to next. After she turned the photos in, she really couldn't afford to stay in the area. She didn't want to risk being tracked down. She knew she was probably just being paranoid, but still, the fear of being found was there, and it was something that would forever keep her on the run.

Oregon sounded nice. She could take some wildlife photos, maybe get hired to do publicity shots for a rodeo or a ranch or something. It would defiantly not be Mark's thing. She would be safe there. At least for a week. If she was feeling risky, then maybe even two weeks.

Scott hesitated, not sure if he should knock on the door or not. All this time, all those leads and research and searching for her, and now he was nervous. He shook his head and sighed, frustrated with himself. There was no point in his being nervous. If he didn't do this now, he may never get a chance, and he knew it. She could disappear like no one else he knew.

She was startled when there was suddenly a knock on the door. She rented this apartment on the bad side of town, just so no one would run credit checks, or make her pay any certain way. Here, cash was the only payment accepted, and names weren't necessary. She picked up a piece of wood that had been in the corner, and cautiously walked to the door. She slowly opened it, ready to fight for her life, if it came to that.

What she saw shocked her so much she dropped the wood. "Oh my God, it's you. Scott, it's really you!"


	3. Truth

AN: I wasn't going to continue this because I lost interest, but Karen asked me so nicely, and she did have a point- there aren't enough Scott & Jules fics out there. So Karen, this is for you!

Chapter 3

She stood there, not knowing what to say, or what to do. She was always prepared to fight for her life, to flee, to be scared. She was always prepared to find someone on the other side of the door that wanted her dead. But this wasn't the case.

"I finally found you." Scott said, smiling slightly. He was in awe that this really happened. He had searched for her for so long. He was always worried about her. Now here she was, right in front of him.

She bit her lip, glancing around the empty hall. "Come in."

He followed her into her apartment, and watched as she shut the door and locked the many locks.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" She asked, unsure of what else to say.

"No, I'm good."

She nodded and walked over to the overstuffed blue couch, sitting on it, and motioning for him to follow suit.

They sat in an awkward silence for several minutes, each glancing at the other. There were dozens of questions swarming in each of their heads.

It was Jules that finally broke the silence. "Why are you here?"

"Looking for you." He answered honestly, meeting her gaze.

"Why?" She questioned.

"Because you need to stop running. You need a normal life. I can give that to you. I can help you. I'm your friend- I'm here for you!"

She shook her head. "I'm scared."

"I know."

"He won't ever give up. He's possessive. He almost found me once. I can't risk him… him…" Her voice broke off.

"Why did you run? Why not just leave him?" Scott shook his head. He knew she was being abused by Mark, but still, she could have went to a Woman's Shelter.

She glared at him, shaking her head. "You honestly have no clue, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that you spent a lot of effort finding me. Did you happen to look into Mark's past at all. Or his present for that matter?" She folded her arms in front of her, creating a barrier, one that was both physical and emotional.

"No. I was looking for you. He doesn't matter."

"He's powerful." She whispered, not wanting to relive what she had seen and heard, and lived.

"I can protect you." He insisted.

"He's involved in several underground organizations. They do bad things. Very, very bad things. He's pretty powerful. He has many, many people at his disposal. I've seen some of the things he has done. His "work." I know too much." At this her voice started to break, and she tried shaking her head, willing the images to be gone.

"What do you know too much about?" Scott asked, this time his voice taking on a much more gentle and soothing tone.

"Everything."

At his unwavering gaze, she sighed. "My best friend, Lisa, was married to his best friend, Jeff. He works with Jess."

"Go on. It's ok." He urged her, gently placing his hand over hers and squeezing it lightly.

"She wanted out. She had seen so much. She was pregnant. She didn't want a child to grow up in that… that world. That environment. The FBI contacted her. They had an agreement. She got them the info they needed, they gave her protection." She stopped, taking a deep breath.

This wasn't easy for her. She had loved Lisa like a sister. Lisa was the one person she had been able to talk to about anything, everything, and nothing. Losing Lisa had been the toughest experience of her life. It haunted her, all the parts of her past haunted her.

Scott just looked at her, waiting patiently. He knew she had been through a lot. He knew that she had emotional scars that would never go away. But he would be patient. He would be her friend. He would simply be there for her in whatever capacity she needed him.

Finally, she decided to continue. "She had already turned over a lot of the information. But she knew there was one other file, it contained a lot… she knew it would bring down the entire organization. So she stayed, and waited…" Jules sniffled. "They knew. They tricked her. And I was there… they took me there, just to watch as they…"

Tears were now streaming down her face. "They took me there, and made me watch as they tortured and killed my best friend and her unborn baby. They taught me a lesson. Told me I could never leave. Now you found me, and you ruined everything!"


End file.
